Bring a festive feel to your home with this starry decorations, which are knitted then felted
CLAIRE FAIRALL
THESE CHRISTMAS decorations are knitted flat using an aran-weight pure wool, then are seamed, stuffed and lightly felted, before being embellished with simple embroidered stars.
PATTERN NOTES
One ball of each colour will make six baubles - three in each of yarn A and yarn B
- including the contrast embroidery.
BAUBLE
Using 5mm needles and yarn A or yarn B, and leaving a 25cm yarn tail, cast on 5 sts. Row 1 (RS): *KFB; rep from * to end. 10 sts. Row 2 and all WS rows: Purl. Row 3: *KFB; rep from * to end. 20 sts. Row 5: *K1, KFB; rep from * to end. 30 sts. Row 7: *K2, KFB; rep from * to end. 40 sts. Row 9: *K3, KFB; rep from * to end. 50 sts. Row 11: *K4, KFB; rep from * to end. 60 sts. Row 13: Knit. Row 15: Knit. Row 17: *K4, K2tog; rep from * to end. 50 sts. Row 19: *K3, K2tog; rep from * to end. 40 sts.
Row 21: *K2, K2tog; rep from * to end. 30 sts. Row 23: *K1, K2tog; rep from * to end. 20 sts.
Row 25: *K2tog; rep from * to end. 10 sts. Row 27: *K2tog; rep from * to end. 5 sts. Cut yarn, leaving a 20cm tail. Thread yarn tail through rem 5 sts, but do not pull tight until instructed for making up.
MAKING UP
Using the 25cm cast-on tail, place running stitches through the cast-on edge, pull to gather it tightly and secure with stitches. Continue sewing with the same cast-on tail, using mattress stitch to close the seam from the cast-on edge to the top, and fasten off. Lightly stuff the bauble through the opening at the top. This opening will easily stretch to allow just enough stuffing for the bauble to hold its shape. It is important to only lightly stuff the bauble, because the filling will be compressed as the bauble shrinks with felting. Pull firmly on the 20cm threaded tail left after the cast-off to close the opening and secure with stitches. Weave in any remaining ends.
FELTING
Wash the baubles in a washing machine using an enzyme-free detergent without optical bleach. Wash warm on a 40°C cycle, normal spin, without pre-wash. Do not use a short cycle. Adding a small towel in the same wash will increase the friction and speed up the felting process. When fully felted, the baubles will be nice and plump with no vi
